His Every Desire

Tracy felt sick to her stomach. She knew that James didn't like her and felt that she was beneath Mr. Hayes. She could forgive him for wanting someone more aristocratic for his employer. Except, the woman he selected turned out to be a murderess. If Tracy hadn't been here, Mr. Hayes would be dead and it would be because James handed him to his killer.

Mr. Hayes turned to Greg. "This man is no longer a member of this organization. I'd like him escorted out immediately.”

James sputtered, but Mr. Hayes held up a hand to silence him. It was obvious this decision was final. James crossed his arms, but kept his mouth shut. There was no convincing Mr. Hayes of anything else, especially right now. At least James was smart enough to realize that.

“Send two of your men up to cut Jenna loose and escort her out as well," Mr. Hayes added. His eyes glazed past the young woman tied to a chair as if she no longer existed. As far as he was concerned, Jenna was dead to him.

"Yes, sir," Greg replied smartly, taking James' arm in his hands to guide him away.

Greg and James left, and Mr. Hayes turned back to John. The older man stared at his daughter as if he were trying to see something else.

"I'll meet with you on Monday at one PM to discuss the terms of my not going to the police,” Mr. Hayes said softly. His voice was kind, but firm. “I'm going to insist that one of the men on Jenna's detail be on my payroll."

John looked up from his daughter, furious at the request. "Son! You don't trust me?"

Mr. Hayes took a quick glance at Tracy, then replied. "It's not a matter of trust. When I give up control, things don't work out quite the way I intended. I refuse to completely give up control of my attempted murderer to her father."

John opened his mouth, as if to try to bargain.

"This is non-negotiable," Mr. Hayes added, a mirror of the negotiation on the salsa floor the night before.

“We're like family,” John reminded him. “You don't have to do this.”

“Yes, I do,” Mr. Hayes replied. Two men appeared from downstairs and cut Jenna loose. She rubbed at her wrists but kept a haughty expression aimed at Mr. Hayes.

“This isn't the end,” she said softly, the soft curve of her lips wicked with the words. There was no remorse in her eyes. The person staring at Mr. Hayes with cold eyes was such a different woman than the one Tracy remembered from the other night. It was difficult to believe they were the same person.

"These two men will stay with Jenna until Monday,” Mr. Hayes said, looking away from her. “She is to stay in town until then, and they'll be relieved by a full-time guard after our meeting. You can fly her wherever you wish after that."

John nodded, a little dejected. He had to realize it was the best he could have hoped for given the situation. It was more than Jenna deserved, in Tracy's opinion.

Chapter 16

Once Jenna and her father were safely off with the security detail, Mr. Hayes turned to Tracy. "There is one person I can give up control to," he said. He leaned in for a kiss.

Tracy stopped him, her hand on his broad chest. "You obviously don't trust me, Mr. Hayes."

Hurt crossed Mr. Hayes' face. He was still pretty calm for having almost been killed. "I definitely trust you, Tracy. I've never trusted anyone like I trust you."

"I don't believe it," Tracy said, sounding as hard as she had during their first sexual encounter, when she had left him tied up in the bed. Only this time, she wasn't pretending. This time, she was legitimately angry. “If you trusted me, I wouldn't have had to threaten to make a scene. You trusted Jenna more than you trusted me today and it nearly got you killed.”

"What do I have to do to prove it to you?" Mr. Hayes asked. His eyes were gray as he watched her, waiting for her to tell him what to do.

Tracy grabbed his hand and walked down the stairs. Mr. Hayes smiled as they walked past the people at the party. Appearances were everything, so Tracy smiled too, but kept right on walking out the exit. She handed the valet her ticket.

"You have to show me that you trust me," Tracy said as the car pulled up. Wind whipped at her satin dress, pressing it against her legs and rippling behind her. She opened the passenger side door. "Get i

n the car."

Mr. Hayes nodded and slowly slid into the passenger seat. Tracy could see him tensing as he reached for the seat belt. But he didn't say no.

She slid into the driver's seat and slipped off her shoes. She didn't even bother putting on the flats from before, instead opting to drive barefoot. There was a road leading away from the chalet higher into the mountain range. She looked over at him, waiting for a protest, but none came.

She revved the engine and took off onto the road. His foot hit an imaginary brake pedal as she sped down the small road and up the side of the mountain. He looked as though he was going to be sick, his eyes wide and glancing frantically through the windows. His hand went to her leg, gripping hard, then pulling away at the next turn.

"Tracy, please slow down," he said through gritted teeth. His hands clenched in his lap and every muscle in his body screamed with tension.

"No. You have to show me that you trust me. I won't let anything happen to you. You just have to show me that you trust me," Tracy reiterated. She carefully turned the sports car onto the mountain pass. Tracy had driven this pass several times. It was a beautiful place to look at leaves in the fall. She knew it was going to be a difficult drive for Mr. Hayes, though, as it was a twisting road with a sharp fall-off as the road climbed up the mountain.